How life has changed in Cardiff

Cardiff's population increased by about 40,700 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the most notable changes among the local population.

The population reached nearly 350,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Cardiff increased by 13.3%, from just over 305,000 to 346,000.

The addition of almost 41,000 people means this area's population was the fastest-growing in Wales, while Cardiff remained the most populous local authority area in the country.

In 2011, Cardiff was home to, on average, 18 people per football pitch-sized piece of land. This made it Wales' most densely-populated district.

Population density was higher than the average across Wales

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Wales, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

A younger Cardiff

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Cardiff decreased by one year, from 34 to 33 years.

This area had a lower average age than Leeds (one of the most statistically similar areas to Cardiff based on ONS area classifications) (35 years of age) and the lowest average age in Wales.

The fall in age was because of an increase of almost 19,000 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population between 70 and 79 years decreased by almost 500.

About 20.0% of people in Cardiff are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in Wales, Vale of Glamorgan and Cardiff by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Welsh language in Cardiff

The proportion of Welsh speakers in Cardiff remained close to 11.1% in the 10 years leading up to Census 2011.

Of the few areas where knowledge of the Welsh language increased, Monmouthshire saw the largest change (from 9.0% to 9.9%).

There are 4,791 more people living in Cardiff who spoke Welsh compared with 2001, while the number of people who did not spoke Welsh increased by 33,274.

In Vale of Glamorgan (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Cardiff), 10.8% of people over the age of three could speak some Welsh, similar to the 2001 figure. Across Wales, the proportion fell from 20.5% to 19.0%.

The proportion of people who could speak Welsh was lower than across Wales

Percentage of people aged three and over that said they could speak Welsh across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Rise in private renting

Cardiff saw Wales' largest rise in the proportion of privately rented homes.

During this period, Cardiff overtook seven local authority areas, including Gwynedd and Powys, to become the Wales local authority area with the highest percentage of private renting.

In 2011, just over one in five (21.9%) households in Cardiff rented privately, compared with 11.1% in 2001. The percentage of socially rented homes remained close to 17.1%.

Newport saw Wales' next largest rise in the proportion of privately rented homes (from 5.4% to 14.0%).

Private renting in Cardiff increased by 11 percentage points

Percentage of households in Cardiff, Vale of Glamorgan and Wales that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Cardiff

Cardiff saw Wales' largest rise in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership.

During this period, Cardiff overtook to become the Wales local authority area with the highest percentage of single people.

In 2011, just over 4 in 10 (45.0%) people aged 16 and over in Cardiff said they were single, compared with 37.7% in 2001. The percentage that said they were married decreased from 44.6% to 38.7%.

Merthyr Tydfil saw Wales' next largest rise in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership (from 28.2% to 35.3%).

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was higher than across Wales

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health fell in Cardiff, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in Wales, except Merthyr Tydfil.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

Every local authority area across Wales saw a fall in the proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad, as the regional average fell from 12.5% to 7.6%.

In 2011, just over 1 in 16 (6.4%) in Cardiff said their health was bad or very bad, compared with 10.2% in 2001. The percentage that perceived their health as good or very good increased from 69.0% to 81.4%.

Wales' largest increase in the proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad occurred in Monmouthshire (from 9.5% to 5.9%).

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Cardiff decreased by 3.8 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Cardiff, Vale of Glamorgan and Wales said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Cardiff

In 2011, 8.1% of Cardiff residents said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, up from 4.6% in 2001. The 3.5 percentage point change was the largest increase among ethnic groups in this area.

Across Wales, the percentage of people from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from 1.1% to 2.3%.

Around 84.7% of people in Cardiff said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, compared with 91.6% in 2001. About 2.9% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 2.0% a decade prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from 1.3% to 2.4%.

There are many factors that can cause changes to the ethnic profile of an area, such as differing patterns of ageing or relocating for work or education. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups in Cardiff increased by 3.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Wales, Vale of Glamorgan and Cardiff by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Cardiff

The percentage of Cardiff residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 3.6% to 3.9% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under 1 in 16 (6.3%) reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities, compared with 6.7% in 2001. The percentage of Cardiff residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 89.9%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability fell faster here than in any other local authority district across Wales. As a result, this area had the country's lowest proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability and the lowest proportion of homeowners.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across Wales

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Cardiff residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 2.4% to 2.5% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.2%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care fell faster here than anywhere else in Wales. As a result, this area had the country's lowest proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care and the lowest proportion of homeowners.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Cardiff remained close to 2.5%

Percentage of usual residents in Wales, Vale of Glamorgan and Cardiff by care, March 2001 and March 2011

More homes without children

Cardiff saw Wales' third-largest rise in the proportion of households without children.

During this period, Cardiff overtook four local authority areas, including Swansea and Pembrokeshire, to become the Wales local authority area with the sixth-highest percentage of households without children.

In 2011, just over 6 in 10 (63.6%) households in Cardiff had no children, compared with 60.7% in 2001. The percentage with at least one child decreased from 30.6% to 27.7%.

Wales' largest increase in the proportion of households without children occurred in Gwynedd (from 62.4% to 65.9%) followed by Isle of Anglesey (from 60.8% to 64.1%).

The proportion of households without children was higher than across Wales

Percentage of households without children across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

More students

Cardiff saw Wales' third-largest rise in the proportion of students.

During this period, Cardiff overtook to become the Wales local authority area with the second-highest percentage of students.

In 2011, just under 1 in 17 (5.9%) people aged 16 to 74 in Cardiff said they were in education, compared with 4.1% in 2001. The percentage that were employed increased from 49.3% to 49.8%.

Wales' largest increase in the proportion of students occurred in Ceredigion (from 3.9% to 6.2%) followed by Gwynedd (from 2.5% to 4.2%).

The percentage of students in Cardiff increased by 1.8 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Cardiff, Vale of Glamorgan and Wales that said they were in education, March 2001 and March 2011

More people worked short hours

Cardiff saw Wales' third-largest rise in the proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week.

Every local authority area across Wales saw a rise in the proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week, as the regional average grew from 1.7% to 3.0%.

In 2011, just under 1 in 25 (3.8%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Cardiff said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 2.3% in 2001. The percentage that worked over 49 hours in a week decreased from 10.6% to 7.9%.

Wales' largest increase in the proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week occurred in Ceredigion (from 2.7% to 4.5%) followed by Swansea (from 2.1% to 3.6%).

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Cardiff increased by 1.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Cardiff, Vale of Glamorgan and Wales that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Cardiff

Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation in Cardiff, the largest percentage point increase was among those who said they had no religion, rising 13.6 points between 2001 and 2011. The census question about religion is voluntary, so varying response rates mean caution is needed when comparing figures between different areas or between censuses.

In 2011, 34.2% of respondents in Cardiff said they had no religion, up from 20.6% in 2001.

Across Wales, the percentage of respondents who described themselves as having no religion increased from 20.2% to 34.7%.

Around 55.3% of respondents in Cardiff said they were Christian, down from 73.2% in 2001. About 7.4% said they were Muslim, up from 4.0% a decade prior.

There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as differing patterns of ageing or relocating for work or education. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population that said they had no religion in Cardiff increased by 14 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in Wales, Vale of Glamorgan and Cardiff by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

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